It baffles me why the most ponify-able (well... ungulate-ify-able) being from the Cthulhu Mythos is almost completely absent from the MLP fandom. It seems like a natural choice.Anyways, this might not fit Everglow (as I'm uncertain if the Lovecraftian aspects (or eldritch abominations in general, not necessarily Lovecraft's work) of Golarion will play a roll in the world--there has been only one book out so far, after all), but it should hopefully require minimal changes to fit into another pony campaign setting.

Ia ia, Shub-Niggurath!

The CapricornVariant Cloven

Bipeds and quadrupeds alike give praise to the gods who created them, who nurtured them, or who governed over an aspect of the world. But these deities are not the only ones to exist. And they are not the oldest. Before the first aboleth spawned, before the first thought creeped into existence, there were the Outer Gods. Beings of fathomless power who wreak havoc on reality by virtue of existing, the Outer Gods are supernal entities who cannot be understood by any being with a working mind. Attempting to do so invariably leads to madness. Of these beings, there is one who stands out as a being wielding the greatest influence across worlds and planes by virtue of her innumerable spawn, a being titled by others for no mortal could conceive of the most simple of her true names.

The Black Goat of the Woods With a Thousand Young,Shub-Niggurath

Even if they never speak nor announce their presence, the Outer Gods cannot help but attract demented followers, cultists driven mad by the fragments of knowledge they accrue. But when these cultists were cloven, they found themselves ‘blessed’, and the next generation of their children were… things that were not cloven. These creatures came to be known as the capricorns.

Description: The form of a capricorn is externally similar to that of the cloven; however, their horns are a messy, twisted array that doesn’t stop growing—or shrinking!—and often come in uneven numbers. They have a strong tendency towards heterochromia—having eyes with differing colors. Most notably, however, is the incredible darkness of their fur; ranging from the color of the night sky to pitch black. It is due to this that they have acquired the nickname of “Black Goats”, although few are aware of the true origin of that name; their ignorance truly does allow bliss.

Due to their short array of coloration, it can be hard to identify any given capricorn, or it would were it not for the specks of white flecked across their coat. These may come in such great numbers that the capricorn appears mottled, or appear as but a single dot hidden behind an ear. It was the pegasus scholar Astronomicon who realized that the white on their coat represented stars, and that each capricorn held a perfect replica of a segment of the night sky on their hides. Of particular note is that no capricorn has ever been noted to have a complete constellation pattern, only fragments.

Their coat is only a curiosity; the true differences can be found within their bodies. Compressed within are, spread amidst the organs are writhing tentacles, vestigial eyes, and gaping, toothless mouths. These replicate the function of other organs, allowing a Black Goat to survive through injuries that would kill others; many of their muscles are laced with tendrils that bolster tearing muscle fibers.

It is difficult to watch capricorns eat; they are strict carnivores, but their teeth are no different from any cloven’s. They are force to twist and rip to tear the meat apart in a display more gruesome than a predator with fangs or claws might perform. However, they are capable of eating rotted or fouled meat without risk of sickness, and although they may consume and break down other foods they gain no nutrients from doing so.

Culture: Capricorns stick out like sore thumbs amongst the race they descended from. Although breeding is of little importance to cloven, unpleasant rumors—which rarely touch upon the genuine reasons to fear and distrust the race—have caused the accomplishments of capricorns to be cast in suspicious and untrustworthy light. In the cloven’s meritocratic culture, capricorns are thus found in the bottom rungs of society. Still, capricorns that prove themselves are as accepted as any cloven would be. Amongst other races, their strange appearance and the intrinsically uncomfortable feelings their presence evokes causes great difficulties in finding assistance or allies.

Capricorns have little culture of their own, largely consisting of imitations of the unspeakable cultist traditions that have been twisted into far less horrifying acts than they once were. Few capricorns are aware of their origins, but all have a nameless dread of some unknown-yet-revolting destiny that hangs over their heads. Those who do learn of the cults of the Outer Gods often find themselves compelled to learn more and to give obeisance to these magnificent and terrible beings. Slightly less than 2% of capricorns will become filled with a nameless madness upon reaching adulthood, and over the next few months will find their mind filled with blasphemous and unrepeatable knowledge of Shub-Niggurath and the Outer Gods, descending with frightful devotion into the worship of their creator.

Capricorns do not have good dreams, and it is common for them to scream into wakefulness with little memory of their nightmares. Black Goats are incredibly fecund—litter size averages at 8 kids with a 4 month pregnancy—but the infant death rate is staggeringly high; most litters do not reach latter childhood, much less adulthood, and there is no such thing as a litter where all the children survive.

Alignment: Capricorns have a strong tendency towards chaos and neutrality—the orderly rules of mortal cultures are grating to them, and it isn’t uncommon for capricorns to have difficulty grasping the concepts of good and evil. A certain degree of selfishness runs through them, however, and a small-but-noticeable percent of Black Goats become evil.

Adventurers: The discomfort of life amongst the cloven can drive a capricorn to travel the world in search of a more accepting home; many find this only amongst those who dare face beings more frightful than any capricorn. As such, a great many capricorns have spent at least some time as part of an adventuring party. Others cannot stand the sensation of doom that looms over them and attempt to shape their own futures, which can lead to adventures as much as it can to success in society.

Capricorn Variant Racial Traits

The following changes replace the cloven’s type, ability modifiers, speed, Low-Light Vision, Mountain Footed, Horned, and Cloven Watchfulness racial features. Additionally, the languages available to them are modified. The strange biology of capricorns creates some fundamental differences from their parent race, most visibly that their horns rarely have the structural support to be used as weapons.

Ability Scores: +2 Con, +2 Dex, +2 Str, -2 Wis, -2 any one ability score. Capricorns have bodies that are superior to what should be possible with their frail bodies; however, insanity lingers in their blood and their strange mutations are negative more often than not.

Type: Aberration (Cloven)

Normal Speed: Capricorns have a base speed of 30 ft. and a bipedal speed of 20 ft.

Darkvision: As aberrations, capricorns possess 60 ft. Darkvision.

Tentacular Physique[b/]: When the muscles, organs, sinews, or bones of a capricorn are not up to the task, the tentacles woven through their bodies can force them to function as though they were greater than they are. Capricorns take only 1/2 damage from ability damage and ability drain targeting their physical ability scores. Additionally, when making a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check, they may inflict 2 points of Wisdom and Charisma damage to themselves to gain a +6 bonus to the check.

Grasping Tongue: The tongues of capricorns are actually a cluster of three separating tendrils, which can be extended some distance out of their mouths. Capricorns can spend a swift action to add +5 ft. reach to a single touch attack or gain a +2 bonus to CMB and CMD for grappling for 1 round.

Carol of the Old Ones: In the bedtime stories and lullabies, the tales of heroes and the tales of gods, capricorn culture hides snippets of knowledge about the Great Old Ones and the Outer Gods they serve and echo the memories of the rituals of their cults of madness. Capricorns gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (religion), a further +2 bonus to Knowledge checks relating to aberrations or followers of the Great Old Ones or Outer Gods, and a +2 bonus to Sense Motive checks to detect a secret message.

Black Goat Horns: The capricorn’s horns, although not as sturdy as a cloven’s, possess a twisted nature that can make contact… unpleasant. The capricorn gains a melee touch attack; if it hits, the creature must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + Con modifier + ½ HD) or be sickened for 1d4 rounds. This ability may be used once per day per 2 hit dice. The capricorn is capable of taking the Impressive Rack feat; however, instead of its normal benefits it grants a +2 bonus to Intimidate and the DC of this ability. This feature replaces Grasping Tongue and modifies Twisted Kin.

Stars Aligned: The pattern on this capricorn’s coat holds a special meaning, showing one of the future arrangements of those stellar bodies, a time when the stars are right to waken ineffable abominations to bring about an endless reign of terror, madness, darkness, and woe. The simple imitation on his coat is enough to open the capricorn to secrets and whispers unavailable to less—or perhaps more—fortunate beings. The capricorn gains a +2 bonus to Charisma and Intelligence, with a -2 penalty to any one ability score. They gain a +2 bonus to any one Intelligence-based skill and Darkvision with a range of 120 ft. Once per day, a capricorn may reroll a failed saving throw; however, if they succeed at this second roll they are staggered for 1 minute. This may be used one additional time per day at levels 8 and 16. This ability replaces the existing ability score modifiers, Darkvision, Grasping Tongue, and Tentacular Physique.

Too Many Eyes: Eyes appear in differing places in the capricorns coat, appearing briefly before vanishing; some may remain for minutes or hours at a time. The capricorn gains a +2 bonus to sight-based Perception checks and may spend a swift action to gain the benefits of All-Around Vision for 1 round. This ability replaces Grasping Tongue.

Whispered Unspeakable Tongues: In the capricorn’s nightmares come words of languages they never knew and wish they never heard. The capricorn gains a +2 bonus to Sense Motive and Linguistics checks to determine the meaning of something in a language they do not know, as well as a +2 bonus to Use Magic Device and Spellcraft checks regarding scrolls or other written forms of magic.

Revulsion of the Cleansed: Perhaps by birth in (un)hallowed ground, the blessing of a powerful outsider, exposure to a conjunction of leylines, or simply miraculous random chance, this capricorn is born without the worst of the taint that created the capricorn; such a capricorn’s body is absent of any star-marks. They gain a +2 bonus to Charisma and Wisdom, but a -2 to Constitution due to lingering non-functional tentacles, and are of the Fey type; they gain Low-Light Vision and gain a +1 bonus to saving throws. They gain the Mountain Footed racial feature of cloven, and add their Charisma modifier to damage rolls against aberrations. This replaces their type, normal ability modifier, Darkvision, Grasping Tongue, and Tentacular Physique.

Inherited Madness: Some capricorns hearken back to the cultists of old who bore the first of their race. Capricorns of a class with the Aberrant or Starsoul bloodlines treat their primary spellcasting ability score for that class as 2 points higher for all class spells and class abilities. Capricorns of a class with the Madness or Void domains use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level. In both cases, if the primary casting ability score of the class is Wisdom, it changes to Charisma. This ability replaces Tentacular Physique.

Gift of Nightmares: The capricorn’s minds are open to tampering from those dreadful things amongst the stars—and sometimes their nightmares hold hints of truths in reflection to the boundless awareness of these beings.

Capricorn Feats

Keratin Nexus (Racial)Although your horns are unsuited for combat, their unusual twists have taken the form of a rough magic array. Channeling your magic through them produces impressive results.Requirements: Capricorn, ability to cast 1st level arcane spellsBenefits: If you spend a move action to focus on the paths through which your magic flows before casting a spell, you can increase your caster level or the spell DC by 1.

Sweet Dreams (Racial)Sleep induced from outside sources is pleasant in comparison to what you face in your nightmares.Requirements: CapricornBenefits: You gain a +4 bonus to saving throws against sleep effects, or effects that target a sleeping creature. Additionally, you may voluntarily fail your save against such an effect to fall asleep for 1d2 rounds; upon waking, you gain a +2 morale bonus to skill checks, attack rolls, and saving throws for 1 minute.

Extreme Flexibility (Racial)Your bones aren’t entirely solid, giving you an amazing range of motion.Requirements: CapricornBenefits: You gain a +2 bonus to Dexterity and suffer a -2 penalty to Strength. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks to tumble.

Unknown to Trust (Racial)You are amongst those in which society places little to no faith, and are oft seen as criminals or liars by default.Requirements: CapricornBenefits: You suffer a -2 penalty to Diplomacy and Bluff checks. However, you gain a +2 bonus to initiative rolls (increased to +4 in a situation of betrayal) and Sense Motive.

Binding Tendrils (Racial, Combat)You have strengthened the tentacles in your body to the point that they are viable weapons in combat.Requirements: Capricorn, Tentacular Physique, Grasping Tongue, Improved GrappleBenefits: You may use your tongues to grapple an adjacent opponent without having to enter their square. When doing so you are unable to speak legibly enough to cast spells or use command words, but do not gain the grappled condition; however, you are also unable to pin the subject unless you voluntarily take the grappled condition.

So glad I felt like going through the house rules today. Dragonjek, as a fan of the Lovecraft mythos you have made me a happy gm today. I'm feeling particularly evil just thinking of the ways I can use these wonderful little creatures of yours in a campaign.